◢ Housing program · Verified April 26, 2026
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Federal rental subsidy that pays your landlord directly, covers the gap between 30% of your household income and fair market rent.
Subsidy size
Varies
Tenant pays roughly 30% of income; the voucher covers the rest up to the local Payment Standard. Exact amount depends on family size, income, and local Fair Market Rent.
Reach
About 2.3 million households use a voucher (HUD picture data)
Most-recent federal program data
Time to apply
Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA.
Cost: Free, no fees
◢ What this program does
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (commonly called Section 8) is the federal government's largest rental-assistance program. It is funded by HUD and administered locally by roughly 2,200 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
If you qualify and receive a voucher, you choose your own private-market rental, house, apartment, or townhouse. The PHA pays your landlord a monthly subsidy directly, and you pay the difference, generally about 30% of your adjusted monthly income.
Vouchers are portable in most cases, you can move with one between PHAs, including across state lines. Demand far exceeds supply: most PHAs have multi-year waiting lists and many are closed to new applications.
◢ Who qualifies
Eligibility at a glance
- Household income is generally at or below 50% of area median income (AMI), your local PHA sets the exact line
- 75% of new vouchers must go to households at or below 30% of AMI (extremely low income)
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen status required for at least one household member
- Must pass a criminal-background screening; PHAs can deny applicants with certain drug or violent-crime convictions
- No assets test for most households, but income from assets counts toward the income limit
A note on eligibility: Final eligibility is determined by the agency administering this program, not by GrantsHubUSA. Confirm current rules with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or your state's office before applying.
◢ How to apply
The application path, step by step
- 1
Find your local PHA
Use HUD's PHA contact lookup to find every public housing agency in your area. You can apply at any PHA whose waitlist is open.
- 2
Confirm the waitlist is open
Most PHAs publish open/closed status on their site. If closed, set a calendar reminder, many open for only a few days each year.
- 3
Submit a pre-application
Provide household size, gross income, and contact info. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come first-served.
- 4
Wait, and stay reachable
Wait times range from months to several years. Update your address and phone number with the PHA whenever they change, or you'll be removed from the list.
- 5
Verify income and choose a unit
When your name comes up, you'll attend an eligibility appointment with documentation. After approval you have a set window (typically 60 days) to find a landlord who'll accept the voucher.
Apply through the official agency
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
◢ Quick facts
- Application time
- Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA.
- Cost to apply
- Free, there is no application fee
- Administering agency
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Last verified
- April 26, 2026
◢ Frequently asked
Common Section 8 questions
It varies wildly by city. Some PHAs publish wait times of 6–18 months; large-city PHAs (NYC, LA, Chicago) routinely have wait times of 5–10 years and may stay closed for years at a time. Always apply at every PHA in your commute radius, not just the one closest to home.
Federal law does not require landlords to accept vouchers, but a growing number of states and cities have passed source-of-income protection laws that make refusal illegal in those jurisdictions. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) maintains an up-to-date map of which states and cities have these protections, check it for your area before assuming a landlord can legally refuse.
No. The household pays approximately 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The voucher pays the difference up to a Payment Standard (typically 90–110% of the local Fair Market Rent).
Common reasons: household income above 50% of area median, prior eviction from federally-subsidized housing for fraud, lifetime sex-offender registration, certain felony drug convictions in the past 3 years, and owing money to a PHA. Each PHA has its own additional screening criteria.
◢ Primary sources
Where every claim comes from
Every fact on this page is verifiable against one of the primary sources below. Follow any link to confirm, that's our standing commitment.
- 01HUD, Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) overview
www.hud.gov/topics/housing_choice_voucher_program_section_8
- 02HUD, Find a Public Housing Agency
www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts
- 03HUD, Income Limits (FY 2025)
www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html
- 04Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Section 8 fact sheet
www.cbpp.org/research/housing/the-housing-choice-voucher-program
Editorial fact-check
This program profile was verified on April 26, 2026.
Every eligibility rule, dollar amount, and deadline on this page was cross-checked against the primary sources listed above before publication, and will be re-verified within 30 days. Spotted something out of date? Tell us , corrections typically ship within 48 hours.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial blog, we're not a government agency and we don't administer this program. Always confirm current eligibility, deadlines, and benefit amounts with the administering agency before applying. See our full disclaimer.
◢ Other programs
More aid you might qualify for.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Monthly food benefits delivered on an EBT card, the largest US anti-hunger program, formerly known as food stamps.
$298/mo
Federal Pell Grant
Need-based federal grant for undergraduate college, up to $7,395 per year that you do not have to pay back.
$7,395/yr
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Federal help paying your home heating, cooling, and energy-crisis bills, apply through your state, tribe, or territory's LIHEAP office.
Varies